In Dhaka, a sharp comment came from former Bangladeshi minister and Awami League veteran Mohammad Ali Arafat on Tuesday. He blasted the short‑lived, Muhammad Yunus‑led interim government, saying a regime supported by Islamist extremists would never understand how the Awami League views its ties with India.
Arafat’s remarks followed the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict that condemned erstwhile Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for “crimes against humanity” tied to July’s protests. The tribunal also sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al‑Mamun, who turned witness, to five years in prison.
Bangladesh’s government also urged New Delhi to hand over Hasina and Kamal “immediately,” citing an agreement between the two countries. Arafat took to X (Twitter) to stress that Bangladesh’s friendship with India goes beyond the 1971 independence struggle. He highlighted joint efforts against domestic and transnational terrorism, the signing of the Land Boundary Agreement, and the peaceful resolution of the maritime border dispute.
“We’ve seen many neighbours fight long wars over such issues, but Bangladesh and India settled them peacefully,” he said. “Our cooperation in communications and energy has benefited people on both sides.”
Arafat added that the Awami League views the India–Bangladesh relationship through a 1971 lens, not through the viewpoint of the old Pakistani military establishment. “Diplomacy rooted in the Liberation War can solve problems and improve lives, while a Pakistani‑centric agenda would harm all,” he warned, even mentioning Game Theory to illustrate his point.
The comments come amid growing tensions as Bangladesh pushes for the extradition of its leaders and stresses that an Islamist‑backed government would misread the nation’s foreign policy priorities. The debate underscores the ongoing tug‑of‑war over justice, security, and the future of India–Bangladesh ties.
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